Players returned from their international duty and the Russian “el classico” between CSKA and Zenit at arena Khimki, had everything. Four goals, two penalties, six yellow cards and…no winner.
Moscow’s team got in the game with a perfect run of 7/7 (one more to tie Zenit’s last year of 8) and they quickly presented why with Zenit’S help. Nico Lombaerts and Yuri Lodygin’s miscommunication lead to an early goal for CSKA (9′) who were moving around more confident and producing a second goal 13′ minutes later, as Doumbia’s header rested into Lodygin’s posts after a great one-touch pass from Shchennikov.
Zenit opened up reaching Akinfeev’s posts mainly with Hulk and Dzuyba and it was the Brazilian who put his team back in the game, six minutes before half-time. Wernbloom brought down Hulk with a mistimed tackle in the box and successfully converting it to a goal, Zenit had another 45′ minutes looking at a comeback.
And it was Lodygin who kept St. Petersburg’s hopes up with top class saves (56′ twice) along with beating Dzagoev from the spot, after Garay pulled Doumbia (71′). Fayzoulin’s introduction proved resourceful as the Russian found Smolnikov in CSKA’s box and the right back chipped the ball over Akinfeev, giving Zenit the last-minute away point against a title rival.
